Holding Hands
by Eternal Dumas
Summary: Hichigo and Ichigo spend an afternoon together. [Pairings:HichiIchi. Sequel to Black and White Loneliness. Contains: Fluff, cuddling, kissing and shounen ai.]


A/N: I come bearing Hichi/Ichi ficcy again! Applaud for me! (complete silence) Geez, be that way. (sulks slightly) This is the wannabe sequel to my other Hichi/Ichi fic, Black and White Loneliness though you don't have to exactly read it to understand this. It can be a stand-alone fic too (which is why this is a wannabe sequel story). No warnings really unless you're homophobic (in which case you should have hit the back button already). Rated for kissing, cuddling, corniness, small angsty stuff and cliche-ness.

Disclaimer: Beach owned by Kubo Taito (or is it Tite?), the one who can actually draw.

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From stroking his cheek to petting his hair, Hichigo's touches had become so gentle now, a strange occurrence in itself as the once maniac and berserk Hollow seemed to have taken on a new habit of practically gluing himself to Ichigo when they were alone. 

Ichigo knew the reason why, even if he did get annoyed sometimes when Hichigo would pop up from behind him, scaring him enough to cause him to jump nearly a feet in the air. Before--before _it_ had happened--they had both been so alone, with a world's burden upon their shoulders and the painful knowledge that they were bearing it alone.

But then, things had changed and this was the result:

Ichigo, sitting bent over at his desk furiously scribbling down a three-paragraph essay for English while Hichigo idly watched him, sitting on the bed. The Hollow's expression was oddly blank, devoid of emotion or the usual crazy grin on his face. It was silent in the room except for the quick, flurry scribbling sounds from Ichigo's mechanical pencil. It was always like this, Hichigo calmly sitting on Ichigo's bed, waiting, as Ichigo finished his homework. They never spoke before that since Ichigo always insisted that Hichigo's voice would distract him and cause him to take even longer to do his homework.

It was only when Ichigo had put away all his homework, textbooks and papers in his school bag, ready for tomorrow, did Hichigo speak.

"You're hurting your hand by writing so much, King."

There was no immediate reply from Ichigo as he sighed, plopped onto the bed next to Hichigo and then leaning his head against the wall.

"I know that already," he finally said when he felt the Hollow's arms come to wrap around his waist and pull him closer.

A pale, white hand with black painted fingernails came to rest on his head, alternatively petting and stroking his mop of unruly orange hair while the other laid hand itself on top of his writing hand. Tentatively, the two hands intertwined to become a mixture of pale, inhuman skin and black combined with healthy peach-and very human-skin.

Their bodies were pressed flush against each other with only their clothes separating them, or so it felt to Hichigo. His King was warm, not at all like the empty inner world Hichigo resided in where it was so infinitely desolate and cold that it had become part of Hichigo himself. That was why he treasured and needed to almost always be in physical contact with his King when they were together, because Ichigo's warmth was real and it was there. The Hollow could suffocate in the other's warmth and he would enjoy every millisecond of it, relishing in the knowledge that this warmth of bright orange belonged to him and only him.

He buried his face into the orange locks as his hand that had been in the hair went down to tightly wrap around the other's waist. Ichigo, lulled by the Hollow's touches, had been drifting off to sleep when he felt the Hollow's arm around his waist again. He let out a small sound of annoyance that was met by a tightening of the arm around his waist.

"My King." He heard the Hollow murmur in his hair. Ichigo let out another small sound as he tried to wriggle out of the tight hold but Hichigo would not relent and instead, pulled the other down so that they both fell back onto the bed. Ichigo was startled and let out a yelp that was quickly shushed when Hichigo pulled him into a kiss. Somehow, during their fall, Hichigo had managed to turn Ichigo around so that they were facing each other.

When they broke apart, Ichigo's trademark frown was on his face as he half-heartedly glared at the Hollow.

"I hate it when you do that."

Hichigo only grinned and this time, it was Ichigo who leaned in for a kiss.

_I will always be with you, King_. Hichigo mentally vowed to himself as his tongue probed past inviting lips into the other's mouth. _And I will never let you go_.

Their hands remained intertwined; they were not going to lose what it was they had found.

Was this love or a fleeting fancy bought upon by teenage hormones? It didn't matter because whatever it was that they had, it was theirs to enjoy.

'_I won't be lonely anymore.'_

'_And I won't ever be cold in that echoing, empty inner world.'_

"_So long as I hold onto this hand, I'll never have to go back."_

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End notes: I know it's crappy, shut up. And why can't I ever stop writing fluff, augh!? Dx (claws at eyes) Reviews welcome, flames will be given to Hichigo to play with. xP 


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